Ocary
The Kingdom of Ocary was a nation existing in the Spurnian River valley from the 1st Century BCE to the 4th Century BCE, then again for a brief time again directly after the Great Gap. Etymology Ocary is named after the Oca Basin, a depression in which the towns of Tenera and Hazelfort lie. History Ocary was one of the first countries to spring out of the primordial muck of Migration-Age Tairghol. The city of Tern had been the final resting place of the carracks Diadem and Barfleur, from the English part of the Flentia Fleet. In the surrounding towns, there were other Englishmen - the Swiftsure had put ashore in Hastleton, and the Bark of Greenwich in Barkville . There had always been a rapport between these three settlements, and when their populations reached critical mass in around 250BCE they declared themselves a united nation, initially led by a council taken from all three towns. The fledgling nation grew slowly, covering a modest 30,000 sq km by the year 0. Here it faced its first challenge - other countries. To the east, Eltermere straddled the Spurnian River, and Botaland threatened to the north. Ocary attempted to annex the nationless lands around the Spur by a diplomatic mission in 14CE, but bickering between the Ocarese diplomats soured the negotiations. The settlements Ocary negotiated with later formed the country of Sparhiel in 73CE, but that's a story for another page. The faux pas in Sparhiel caused Ocarese politics to make a drastic change - the council was abolished in favour of a single spokesperson, who would eventually become known as the King of Ocary. In the early years, though, the King was no more than a diplomat. The first King was decided in 17CE, by popular vote, to be a nobleman from Tern. The town of Barkville decided not to accept this new King, and struck out on their own as the Kingdom of Briawicke. This warlike King quickly brought Eltermere low, and began to pose a serious threat to the more peaceful state of Ocary. In 125CE, the War for Monsforde saw much of Ocary conquered by Briawicke and its new ally Sparhiel. Only Harptown and Tern remained in Ocarese hands. Because of this, the King of the time decided to strike out west and settle the interior of the Oca Basin, bringing the Kingdom into contact with Yaradale and Amaria. The latter was friendly to Ocary, and later became an ally. Ocary was brought low again in 273 during the Penketh War. The Ocarese towns of Penketh and Blencogo were annexed into Yaradale, and Amaria was annexed completely into Sudflenn only years later. Once again Ocary stood alone. The Kingdom of Ocary was one of a dozen countries invited to attend the Spurnese Council in 327, and replied in the affirmative. As such, Ocary ceased to exist, becoming the Ocarese Domain of the Spur in an action thought to defend from the northern power of Varhold. Following the Great Gap, Ocary was independent again. This is likely due to terms in the same peace treaty that freed Flenburgh and Omeland at the end of the Spurnian Subjugation. However, this independence was short-lived. Flenburgh and Omeland partitioned Ocary for good in 410 during the Ocarese War. Category:Countries